Aftershave
by Kirie Kat
Summary: A boy of a look of mild irritation stared back at him from the mirror as Marco placed the scalpel down in the sink.


p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"A boy of a look of mild irritation stared back at him from the mirror as Marco placed the scalpel down in the sink. /p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"He rinsed his face with water feeling a tingling sting on his chin where he nicked himself from shaving. What possessed him take up to he challenged to arm wrestle Byamba? /p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"Was it the araig? Probably the araig as his mind was muddled with the consumption of alcohol that he thought it an was excellent idea to take up challenging Byamba. The previous night the cambulac was in high spirits celebrating the annual White Moon festivities trying to distract themselves of the brewing war. /p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"He remembered Jingim's half brother placing his strong arm around his shoulders and joyfully dragging him off to the other men for a good old arm wrestling match after he traded off Kokachin's jewels to Sanga's now fatherless daughter. Marco allowed himself to get sucked into the game quickly forgetting about his father's and uncles transgressions, and the Hashshashin. /p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"As expected he lost though he had better chance in beating the man than he had in ever gaining Jingim's trust. Taking the defeat gracefully he shaved his scruffy beard leaving his face naked, flushed and pink. Taking part of the humility as a brand of defeat./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" His years of traveling Marco neglected his appearance and allowed his facial hair to grow until he was sold by his father and the guards not so gently sliced his beard leaving him vulnerable and bare. Surprisingly after three long years of traveling he still looked like young lad as he left Venice. Boyish and soft he looked young to young to be one of the court officials. No one will take him seriously, what would the Khan think that all this time he was confiding to a child! He hardly looked 20! He was just some baby faced youth that have no place amongst men. He looked like a church boy!/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"Marco grabbed the wash rag and dried his face before tossing it in the bin. He must not be late for the morning council meeting in the court or the Khan's servants will pop into his house and forcefully drag him there./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"_/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"As always there was this lingering dread in the air of the Song soldiers advancing in their doorstep. The diplomatic victory of Prince Jingim failed when Jia Sidao murdered his own councilman and placing the blame on the Khanate. There will likely be a war looming soon that Marco will have to bring himself to prepare./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"He left with the other courts official and made his way to the opulent door shuffling pass the men and bringing his chin down to his chest. He had tried to ignore the stares he was receiving and focus on the Khan and the advancing Song troops. Marco made his way passing by the pillars from the hall making his pace briskly by every step./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;""Master Polo, I want a word with you"./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"Marco inhaled through his nose and turned to the golden headache behind him. A word for what? Perhaps he wanted to know who was responsible for making the attempt on his father's life. It was his father after all who was teetering between life and death while he and Byamba went together in Kochkor to find the Old Man. Last time he saw Jingim when he gave him a scathing glare when he walked passed him and during the festival./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"Marco felt shiver went down his spine as he faced the Prince. "Prince?" He said formally making an attempt to keep his face neutral trying to keep his pulse steady that always quickens whenever he's anywhere near proximity around the Prince./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"The Prince blinked and looked at him oddly, tracing his face with his eyes as if he was seeing him the first time. He forward his thick eyebrows. "You shaved." He said almost distantly./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"The younger man pressed his lips together trying not to shrink from Jingim's scrutinizing gaze. "Yes Prince, I have taken the need of shaving in some sort of change in the New Year." Marco said smoothly lying and could not help but feel amused of Jingim's dumbstruck look on his face. The Prince blinked as if getting himself off a trance and he cleared his throat./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;""It suits you, you looks nice"/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"Perhaps he must have heard wrong. Jingim was complimenting him?! It was unheard of! It was unorthodox! He wouldn't be surprised if the earth split open beneath his feet, or the Song rebels ceased fire and surrendered, or Sifu had regained his ability of sight. But Jingim complimenting seemed strange especially when the Prince just licked his lips! Still he can't help but feel a fluttery sensation in his belly and the warmness on his cheeks./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;""Pardon?"/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;""You look nice." Jingim parroted as he steeped forward and Marco unconsciously steeped back. His dark eyes shinning with emotion Marco could not pin out./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"The Prince presses his full lips in something akin to a smile. " I would have never have guessed Latin, one can alter an appearance by a simple shave." Marco gulped down trying to keep his heart from bursting out of his chest. "I wouldn't have realized it would cause such an effect" He winced how small his voiced had sounded. A devil may care smile graced Jingim's handsome face that made Marco blush like a virgin maiden. He seen Jingim smile like this when he was among the ladies of the court./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"Jingim takes a step closer completely obliterating the invisible line Marco has drawn with his mind of personal boundaries as now they were in sharing of breath. The air is hot around them. The Prince raised his right hand and cupped Marco's now soft cheek his thumb tracing small circles beneath his eye that made Marco flush tenfold. Jingim's gaze was hot and steady he spoke his voice almost purred "Come to my quarters late at night we have much to discuss about."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"With that he swiftly removed his hand from Marco's person and disappeared in the shadows of the hall. Marco leaned heavily against the pillar, he was completely breathless. His heart slowly regain his steady pace and his neck was sweating. The Prince always managed to get under the skin and tonight perhaps he might get under Jingim. Who knows what the night might entail or what "discussions" might be brought up all he can feel is the fearful excitement that brought Marco's heart racing again. Back in his humble dwellings he prepared for the evening./p 


End file.
